By Trimaco
Protecting finished floors during construction or restoration is an important step to prevent damage and costly repairs. Knowing how to choose the right floor protector can help preserve the quality of the floors and keep the job running smoothly.
Why is Floor Protection Important?
Cost: Quality flooring is an investment. Although it can endure daily wear and tear with the proper upkeep, construction projects pose a bigger threat of damage and, in turn, costly repairs. Protecting these surfaces helps prevent additional expenses.
Avoid Damage: Floors can be easily damaged by many things, including dropped tools, paint spills, drywall dust, and heavy foot traffic. Durable surface protection products reduce the risk of scratches, cracking, dents, and damage from other jobsite messes.
Keep Your Job on Track: Your project has a timeline, and floor damage can lead to delays. Using the right floor protection is an easy way to keep your job on track.
Job Satisfaction: By investing in floor protection, you’re protecting the customer's investment, which helps build trust.
Flooring Types and Why to Protect Them
Different types of floors require different types of floor protection. What is best for hardwood floors may not be the same as what you need for tile, carpets, or polished concrete. Consider project duration, foot traffic, and potential threats (machinery, dirt, water, paint) when selecting surface protection products.
Hardwood Floors: High-end hardwood floors can be extremely costly to repair or replace. It’s important to protect them from scratches, impacts, and moisture.
Concrete/Polished Concrete: Concrete and polished concrete floors have become increasingly popular in commercial real estate in the last decade. Allowing moisture to evaporate during and after the curing process is crucial when choosing the right surface protector.
Tile: Tile flooring is susceptible to chipping or cracking from dropped tools, and paint and other liquids can stain grout. Choosing a floor protector that is resistant to impacts and spills can help avoid damage.
Carpet: Carpet can be damaged easily by spills, dust, dirt, jobsite traffic, and heavy equipment. Applying floor protection before the job starts can prevent having to replace sections of carpet.
Types of Floor Protection
Floor Protection Paper: Builder’s paper and red rosin are commonly used in the industry for lightweight protection. X-Paper® is a thicker paper that is resistant to tearing and provides some protection against spills. This durability means less time spent replacing floor protection, saving you time on the job.
Floor protection board: Need something a bit tougher? X-Board® is a durable paperboard that can withstand foot traffic and heavy equipment. It’s a much more durable option compared to builder’s paper and is engineered to be liquid-resistant while also letting surfaces like concrete and tile grout breathe while you work. For a heavy-duty option that is forklift strong, try FloorShell®.
Padded Floor Protectors: While paperboard offers some impact resistance, additional protection may be needed. Stay Put® is a padded surface protector that is breathable, liquid resistant, and can prevent damage to tile, marble, and hardwood floors and stairs. The pressure-activated tacky backing ensures it stays in place on smooth surfaces and can even be used vertically to cover walls and appliances. Stay Put can be easily repositioned wherever you need it on the job.
Dust-Free/Flame-Retardant Floor Protection: Some jobs have stricter requirements. If you are working in a hospital, laboratory, data center, or another job where tenants must remain on-site while you work, you may need dust-free and flame-retardant protection. Aqua Shield® is a heavy-duty surface protector that is ideal for these types of situations. It’s leakproof, slip-resistant, and can replace bulky sheets of Masonite. From 10mil to 40mil thicknesses, Aqua Shield is suited for any job.
Carpet Film: Carpet film protects most carpet types quickly and easily. Easy Mask® Carpet Film comes in various sizes and protects synthetic carpets from stains for up to 30 days. Its tear and puncture-resistant nature prevents equipment and tools from snagging on and pulling the carpet fibers beneath.
Keep Floors Damage-Free
Whether you’re protecting hardwoods, tile, concrete, or carpet, using a quality surface protector from Trimaco® can make all the difference. Avoid delays and costly repairs due to damage by choosing the proper floor protection at the start of every job.
Abatix proudly partners with Trimaco to offer a wide selection of floor protection to suit your needs. You can always rely on our team of knowledgeable reps to help you make the most informed decisions. Contact your local ABATIX rep today.
